When I worked at Star Sporting Goods Hank, the owner, told me to NEVER show a customer more than two ski boots.\u00c2\u00a0 For, if I did, they’d become confused, indecisive, and wind up walking out empty-handed.<\/p>\n
The customer is overwhelmed with choice.\u00c2\u00a0 The sales pitch\/marketing assault is so overwhelming they don’t partake.\u00c2\u00a0 My TV-addicted friends no longer watch the new shows.\u00c2\u00a0 They wait for the scuttlebutt.\u00c2\u00a0 To tell them what’s good.\u00c2\u00a0 With six networks and a horrible failure rate it takes too much of a time investment, most of it wasted, to check things out for yourself.\u00c2\u00a0 They want someone to do the work for them, to point them in the right direction!<\/p>\n
It’s no different in the music sphere.\u00c2\u00a0 The major labels are under the impression that it’s a mainstream business.\u00c2\u00a0 That everybody’s paying attention.\u00c2\u00a0 But most of the public does not watch MTV and terrestrial music radio stations are dropping like flies.\u00c2\u00a0 And the endless marketing stunts are seen as such.\u00c2\u00a0 Nobody believes an act is on the "Today Show" because they’re good.\u00c2\u00a0 When an act whores itself out in a commercial the sell-out is transparent.\u00c2\u00a0 It’s not endearing to the audience, oh, they might embrace a catchy tune, but they reject the act as not worthy of their trust.\u00c2\u00a0 Trust.\u00c2\u00a0 That’s what it comes down to.\u00c2\u00a0 And Starbucks has its audience’s trust.<\/p>\n
And Starbucks manages this trust.<\/p>\n
Starbucks isn’t Whole Foods.\u00c2\u00a0 Purveying a handful of CDs at the checkout counter.\u00c2\u00a0 One does not believe Whole Foods selected each and every album.\u00c2\u00a0 It’s just another profit center.\u00c2\u00a0 But, the Starbucks consumer believes that somebody at the company is looking out for THEM!\u00c2\u00a0 Realizes they don’t have much time.\u00c2\u00a0 That they need to know what’s great right away, INSTANTLY!\u00c2\u00a0 Perform a service for me, turn me on to great new stuff, save me time and I’ll give you ALL my money.\u00c2\u00a0 I mean it’s not like Starbucks is selling the CDs at a discount.<\/p>\n
Starbucks gives their customer the impression that each CD is hand-picked.\u00c2\u00a0 And worth their attention.\u00c2\u00a0 To the point where even if you purchase a loser, you’re not disillusioned.\u00c2\u00a0 Hell, who hasn’t bought a CD they’ve only played once.\u00c2\u00a0 Sex isn’t good every time, you don’t give up after a bad experience.\u00c2\u00a0 But sex is best when done on a continuing basis with a faithful partner.\u00c2\u00a0 Music isn’t quite sex, but it’s the second best thing.\u00c2\u00a0 You’re looking for a partner.\u00c2\u00a0 We all want partners.\u00c2\u00a0 To journey through this life with.<\/p>\n
The indie retailers provide a different function.\u00c2\u00a0 They’re like your favorite deli counter man.\u00c2\u00a0 They sell everything, but they tell you what’s good.\u00c2\u00a0 Only one problem, record stores are so seventies.\u00c2\u00a0 They require a special trip.\u00c2\u00a0 And it takes repeat visits to establish rapport with the help.\u00c2\u00a0 Who are oftentimes intimidating.\u00c2\u00a0 Whereas Starbucks HAS no face.\u00c2\u00a0 The baristas just serve the coffee.\u00c2\u00a0 They don’t dispense musical advice.\u00c2\u00a0 Everything’s been pre-selected.\u00c2\u00a0 And sold to you at a place you were visiting anyway.<\/p>\n
I don’t think most of Starbucks’ clientele is aware that the Rolling Stones have a new album out.\u00c2\u00a0 They tuned out the Stones eons ago.\u00c2\u00a0 Oh, they might go to a show, but all the recent shitty records and the endless sales pitches have turned them off.\u00c2\u00a0 But, if STARBUCKS is involved, then IT MUST BE GOOD!\u00c2\u00a0 It must be worth paying attention to.\u00c2\u00a0 It must be worth BUYING!<\/p>\n
Yup, all that Stones hype has done nothing for "A Bigger Bang".\u00c2\u00a0 The appearance of the music in that soap opera is so NINETIES!\u00c2\u00a0 When it was about multiple impressions.\u00c2\u00a0 Now it’s not about multiple impressions, but a SINGLE impression.\u00c2\u00a0 ONE trusted person must tell you THIS IS THE SHIT!<\/p>\n
Starbucks is the new gatekeeper.\u00c2\u00a0 Get your record in there, and it will sell.\u00c2\u00a0 Just look at Antigone Rising.\u00c2\u00a0 In conventional retail that record wouldn’t have broken 5,000, whereas in Starbucks it sold TENS OF THOUSANDS OF COPIES!<\/p>\n
That’s the story of the twenty first century.\u00c2\u00a0 Trusted filters.\u00c2\u00a0 Get your product endorsed by someone with the public’s trust.\u00c2\u00a0 THEN you’ll sell records.<\/p>\n
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